Device for removable securing of an actuating member to an input or output element

ABSTRACT

A device ( 1 ) for removably securing an actuating member to an input or output element, such as to a gear shift lever or a transmission of a motor vehicle, has a mounting point ( 10 ) for securing the actuating member, and a receptacle ( 20 ) for securing a mounting element of the input or output element. The receptacle ( 20 ) has a substantially eyelet-like outer receptacle element ( 30 ) and an inner receptacle element ( 40 ) arranged therein, between which is an elastic damping element ( 50 ). To reduce undesired vibrations from the transmission or the actuating member to the interior of the vehicle, while securing the actuating member to the mounting device in a simpler manner, the dampening element is a separate component which has a wave profile ( 52 ) on its wall ( 51 ) facing the outer or inner receptacle element ( 30 ), and the mounting point ( 10 ) has a threaded insert ( 11 ) for securing the actuating member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage application (under 35 USC §371) ofPCT/EP2014/072345, filed Oct. 17, 2014, which claims benefit of Germanapplication No. 20 2013 104 768.6, filed Oct. 23, 2013, the contents ofeach of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field and State of the Art

The present invention relates to a device for detachably mounting anactuating member on an input or output element, for example, on a gearshift lever or transmission of a motor vehicle, by employing a mountingsite to secure the actuating member, and with a receptacle to secure amounting element of the input or output element, whereby the receptaclehas an essentially eyelet-like outer receiving element and an innerreceiving element arranged therein, between which an elastic dampingelement is arranged.

The invention also relates to an actuating member having such a mountingdevice. Moreover, the invention relates to a shifting device for thetransmission of a motor vehicle.

Mounting devices of the above-mentioned type are known, for example,from U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,495 A1 and European patent specification EP 2278 178 B1, and they are used, among other things in the automotivesector, to mount an actuating member on the end of the shifting leverand of the gear selector lever, said actuating member being, forexample, an actuating cable assembly or an actuating rod by means ofwhich—in the case of a manual transmission—the shifting motion executedby the driver when he/she actuates the shifting lever is transmitted tothe selector lever on the transmission housing. In each case, one end ofthe actuating member is connected to a mounting site of the mountingdevice which, in turn, has a receptacle that is secured to a mountingelement of the output or input element, for example, secured to anactuating journal of the gear selector lever or to a mounting element ofthe shifting lever. The elastic damping element in the receptacle, whichis arranged between the eyelet-like outer receiving element and theinner receiving element arranged therein, serves to damp the transfer ofvibrations of the transmission from the gear selector lever to theactuating member and then further from the actuating member to theshifting lever, so that ultimately, undesired vibrations on the shiftinglever or in the interior of the vehicle are prevented to the greatestextent possible.

Additional mounting devices of the above-mentioned type are also knownfrom German patent application DE 197 55 284 A1 as well as from Europeanpatent application EP 1 798 431 A1.

German patent application DE 197 55 284 A1 discloses a ball-and-socketjoint with a joint ball arranged on a journal, sections of which aresurrounded by a bearing shell, whereby this bearing shell having aninner circumferential surface in the form of a spherical cap is insertedwith its essentially cylindrical outer circumferential surface into areceiving bore of a housing. Here, the bearing shell is embedded on itsouter circumferential surface in a sleeve that is made of arubber-elastic elastomer and that rests against the receiving bore. Themounting of the actuating member is such that a lever extends from thehousing and is provided with an external thread on the circumferentialsurface, whereby a shifting lever (not shown here) of the motor vehiclecan be affixed to this external thread.

European patent application EP 1 798 431 A1 also discloses a mountingdevice having a receptacle with an outer receiving element and an innerreceiving element arranged therein, between which an elastic dampingelement is arranged. In the case of this prior-art mounting device, thedamping element has a cylindrical configuration. The mounting thatserves to secure a moving member is achieved by means of encapsulationby injection molding.

German patent application DE 197 31 039 A1 describes a device formounting a control cable to the variable-speed transmission of a motorvehicle, whereby the device consists of a control cable whose end pieceis connected to a receiving sleeve that is secured in the device, andthe device also has a damping element with a plastic core which isarranged therein and whose opening accommodates a transmission mountingelement. This mounting device, which is known from the state of the art,also involves the mounting of a mounting member to the input or outputelement by means of encapsulation by injection molding.

In spite of such a damping element, the mounting devices known from thestate of the art—measured by modern driving comfort requirements inmotor vehicles—often still exhibit inadequate vibration suppressionproperties. This also applies when it comes to modern noise comfortlevels.

Before this backdrop, an objective of the present invention is toimprove a mounting device as well as an actuating member by puttingforward a mounting device of the type described above in such a way thatthe transfer of undesired vibrations from the transmission via theactuating member into the interior of the vehicle is reduced to aminimum. At the same time, the mounting of the actuating member to themounting device should be technically simplified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device for detachably mounting an actuating member to an input oroutput element according to an embodiment of the invention has a dampingelement configured as a separate part. The damping element, on its wallfacing the outer or inner receiving element, has an intermittentlyand/or alternatingly configured wave profile, and the mounting site hasa threaded insert to secure the actuating member.

According to embodiments of the invention, it has been realized that adamping element that is arranged between the inner and the outerreceiving element of the mounting device and that has a wavy outer wall,that is to say, a wall having a wave profile facing the outer receivingelement, has greatly improved damping properties as far as the undesiredtransfer of vibrations to the transmitting member is concerned. Thereason for this is, among other things, that due to the profile,especially the wave profile, the contact surface of the damping elementtowards the outer receiving element is reduced to such an extent thatthe transfer of disturbing vibrations is advantageously suppressed.

Owing to the suppression of disturbing vibrations, it is possible tofacilitate the mounting of the actuating member to the mounting devicein the manner according to the invention in that the mounting site ofthe mounting device has a threaded insert on which the actuating membercan be secured by means of a screw in an advantageous manner. Incomparison to the state of the art, in which the actuating member isinjection-molded directly into the mounting site, a threaded insertallows a cost-effective, flexible and especially detachable mounting ofthe actuating member to the mounting device.

According to a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, theprofile is intermittently formed on the outer wall of the dampingelement and/or it is made up of alternating partially circular,especially semi-circular, projections and depressions. Experiments haveshown that a wave profile configured in this manner very effectivelyimproves the damping properties.

In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, in order tofacilitate the joining of the mounting device or the insertion of thedamping element between the eyelet-like outer receiving element and theinner receiving element arranged therein, at least one of the rims oredges of the damping element is beveled, especially canted or roundedoff.

In order to automatically assemble the mounting device, it isadvantageous for the damping element to be configured as a cylindrical,annular part.

A particularly cost-effective and stable mounting device is achieved inthat the outer receiving element and the mounting site are configured inone piece, especially as a shared base body.

In order to ensure a compensation for angular movements between theactuating member and the mounting element of the input or outputelement, in another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it isprovided that the outer receiving element, the inner receiving elementand/or the damping element is/are shaped so as to be essentially annularand/or in the form of a hollow cylinder. In this manner, it is possibleto execute a rotational motion of the mounting device or of theactuating member relative to the mounting element of the input or outputelement around the longitudinal axis or rotational axis of theeyelet-like outer receiving element.

A particularly lightweight and especially detachable connection betweenthe mounting device and the mounting element is achieved in that,according to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the innerreceiving element has a bushing in which the mounting element of theinput or output element can be secured, especially by means of a latchand/or clip connection.

In order for the degrees of freedom of the rotational motion of themounting device or of the actuating member relative to the mountingelement of the input or output element to be expanded to three axes, itcan advantageously be provided for the bushing to be configured as asocket of a ball-and-socket joint in which a mounting element of theinput or output element having a ball head can be latched or clipped inplace.

Moreover, it can be provided for the inner receiving element to have apreferably cylindrical sleeve in which the bushing is arranged. Such atwo-part structure consisting of a sleeve and a bushing accommodatedtherein makes it possible to adapt the inner receiving element, on theone hand, to the shape of the mounting element by means of the bushingand, on the other hand, to the shape of the outer receiving element bymeans of the sleeve. In this manner, the mounting device can be adaptedto various input or output elements in an altogether flexible manner.

In order to secure the bushing in the assembly position in at least oneaxial direction inside the sleeve, in another advantageous embodiment ofthe invention, it is provided for the sleeve to have a tapered passageby means of which the preferably corresponding tapered bushing engageswith a positive fit.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it isprovided for the inner receiving element to have a closure element oneach end in the axial direction relative to the eyelet-like outerreceiving element, by means of which the inner receiving element,especially the sleeve and/or the bushing, is secured to the outerreceiving element in the axial direction.

Especially preferably, the bushing and at least one of the two closureelements are configured in one piece, especially in the form of a hollowcylinder having an encircling collar or flange at one end.

Preferably, each of the closure elements at the ends are configured insuch a way that they have a larger radial extension than the sleeve orthe bushing, so that a positive fit axially secures the inner receivingelement via the closure element that is in contact with the outerreceiving element on the front face or on a flat side. It isconceivable, for example, that at least one of the two closure elementsis configured in the form of a cover or plate or perforated disc. Theperforated disc configuration is especially well-suited for the side ofthe inner or outer receiving element via which the mounting element,especially the ball joint head, is inserted into the bushing.

In order to affix the closure element to the sleeve, according toanother advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided for atleast one of the two closure elements to have a groove which encirclesthe front face and with which the sleeve engages when in the assemblyposition. It is conceivable, for example, for the sleeve.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, thethreaded insert is configured as a nut, especially as a polygonal nut.Here, one can especially make use of standard components, which has apositive effect on the production costs of the mounting device.

In order to technically further simplify the mounting of the actuatingmember at the mounting site, especially to ensure a well-definedmounting, it is provided according to another advantageous embodiment ofthe invention for the mounting site to have a support and/or a guide forthe actuating member that is to be mounted, especially for a connectiontab of an actuating member that is to be mounted.

An independent idea of the invention relates to an actuating memberhaving at least one mounting device of the above-mentioned type arrangedat one end, preferably in the area of a connection tab.

According to another advantageous embodiment, it is provided for theaxis of the threaded insert or of the nut to run orthogonally to theaxis of the receptacle. This translates into advantages during theassembly and adjustment of the device in a motor vehicle, since theforce application point of the tool is in an essentially horizontalplane.

According to an especially advantageous embodiment of the actuatingmember, it is provided that a hole, especially a slot, is provided atleast at one end, preferably in the area of a connection tab, throughwhich a screw can be screwed into the threaded insert in order to securethe actuating member to the device. Another advantageous embodiment ofthe invention provides for the damping element to be a component thatcan be handled separately.

Additional objectives, advantages, features and applicationpossibilities of the present invention ensue from the description belowof an embodiment making reference to the drawing. In this context, allof the described and/or depicted features, either on their own or in anymeaningful combination, constitute the subject matter of the presentinvention, also irrespective of their compilation in the claims or theclaims to which they refer back.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following is shown:

FIG. 1 an exploded view of a possible embodiment of a device accordingto the invention for detachably mounting an actuating member on an inputor output element,

FIG. 2 a lengthwise section through the joined device according to claimFIG. 1,

FIG. 3 a top view of the damping element of the device according to FIG.1; and

FIG. 4 a perspective view of another embodiment of the damping element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a possible embodiment of a device 1 according to theinvention for detachably mounting an actuating member to an input oroutput element, for example, to a shifting lever or to a transmission ofa motor vehicle. For this purpose, the device 1 has a mounting site 10to secure the actuating member as well as a receptacle 20 to secure amounting element of the input or output element, whereby the receptacle20 has an essentially eyelet-like outer receiving element 30 and aninner receiving element 40 arranged therein.

In an advantageous manner, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, theouter receiving element 30 and the mounting site 10 are configured inone piece, thereby forming a shared base body, whereby the base body hasan essentially elongated shape, at one end of which the eyelet-shaped,approximately annular, outer receiving element 30, and at whose otherend, the mounting site 10 to secure the actuating member, are arranged.Between the outer receiving element 30 and the inner receiving element40, according to the invention, there is an elastic damping element 50that has an encircling wave profile 52 on its outer wall 51 facing theouter receiving element 30.

As can also be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner receiving element 40consists of four parts altogether, namely, a cover-like closure element43, a perforated disc-like closure element 44, a sleeve 41 as well as abushing 42 accommodated therein.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bushing 42 is configuredas a socket of a ball-and-socket joint in which a mounting element ofthe input or output element having a ball head can be secured. In thepresent embodiment, the joint socket especially has a latch or clipconnection means with which the mounting element can be secured in aparticularly simple manner in the inner receiving element 40, that is tosay, in the bushing 42, especially so that it can be detached again.

Moreover, the bushing 42 in the present embodiment is accommodated in acylindrical sleeve 41 that has a tapered passage 46 by means of which,in the assembly position, the corresponding tapered bushing 42 issecured in an axial direction within the sleeve 41.

In the opposite axial direction, the bushing 42 in the sleeve 41 issecured by the plate-like closure element 43 that has a groove 45 whichencircles the front face and with which the sleeve 41 engages when inthe assembly position. In the radial direction, the closure element 43has a greater extension than the sleeve 41 and, with its overlappingarea, it comes into contact with the outer receiving element 30, as aresult of which the inner receiving element 40 is secured with apositive fit relative to the outer receiving element 30 in the axialdirection.

On the opposite side of the plate-like closure element 43, there isanother closure element 44 that, in the present embodiment, isconfigured in one piece with the sleeve 41. The sleeve 41 and theclosure element 44 together form a hollow cylinder having an encirclingcollar or flange that is made up of the perforated disc-like closureelement 44. Owing to the opening in the perforated disc-like receivingelement 40, access is created through which the mounting element of theinput or output element can be inserted into the bushing 42.

As can also be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mounting site 10 has a support13 as well as guides 14 extending laterally therefrom which accommodatethe actuating member that is to be mounted (not shown here), especiallya connection tab of an actuating member that is to be mounted.

In order to secure the actuating member at the mounting site 10,according to the invention, it is provided for the mounting site 10 tohave a threaded insert 11. In the embodiment shown here, the threadedinsert 11 is a polygonal pierce nut 12 whose cross section isessentially trapezoidal. Moreover, it can also be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2that the nut 22 is integrated by means of injection molding into thebase body 60 that, in this case, is made of plastic. It is alsoconceivable for the threaded element 11 to be inserted, clipped, latchedor glued into a matching opening in the base body 60. The polygonalouter contour of the threaded element advantageously provides anti-twistprotection.

In order to ensure the length adjustment of the actuating member that isto be mounted (not shown here), it can also be provided for theactuating member, especially in the area of the connection tab, to havea slot, thereby allowing a continuously variable adjustment andpre-fixation of the mounting device 1 to the actuating member.

FIG. 3 shows the elastic damping element 50 according to the inventionwhich has an encircling wave profile 52 on the outer walls 51 facing theouter receiving element 30. In the embodiment shown here, the waveprofile is made up of intermittent, especially alternating semi-circularprojections 53 and depressions 54. Experiments have shown that a dampingelement 50 configured in this manner has markedly improved dampingproperties when it comes to the transfer of vibrations from thetransmission via the actuating member to the selector lever of a motorvehicle. The damping properties are also improved in that the dampingelement 50—as in the present embodiment—is configured as a separate partwith an essentially annular cross section without materialinterruptions. Preferably, the damping element 50 is made of rubber orof a rubber-like synthetic elastomer.

As can be seen particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3, the rims 55, 56 on thefront face of the damping element 50 are beveled. This facilitates theinsertion of the damping element 50 between the eyelet-like outerreceiving element 30 and the inner receiving element 40 arrangedtherein.

In order to also achieve a damping in the direction of all three axes ofthe vehicle, especially also the Z-axis oriented upwards relative to thevehicle, that is to say, the vertical vehicle axis, according to anindependent aspect of the invention, projections or profiled endsections can be provided on the front faces of the damping element. Forthis purpose, for example, an encircling annular projection is arrangedon at least one front face of the damping element. In this context, ithas proven to be advantageous for the diameter of the annular projectionto be greater than the wall thickness of the cylindrical part of thedamping element 50.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the damping element that isdesignated by the reference numeral 50. On the front faces 58, there areprojections 57 that extend beyond the outer wall of the damping element50 and that are tapered from the outer wall 51 towards the front face58.

With the projections 57, a damping is achieved in the direction of theZ-axis of the vehicle (not shown in FIG. 4).

The projections 57 are arranged so as to be offset on the opposite frontfaces 58; in this manner, the damping element can be producedcost-effectively since a simple mold removal is possible when thiselement is made using a mold.

Another embodiment for achieving damping in the direction of the Z-axisof the vehicle (not shown in FIG. 4) consists of arranging a softcomponent on the encircling collar of the sleeve 41 (not shown in FIG.4) or on the side of the closure element 43 (not shown in FIG. 4) facingthe damping element.

The production of a sleeve or closure element configured in this manneris known from the state of the art and is carried out in the form of,for example, a 2-component part. This means that the soft component isinjection-molded in an injection mold onto the intended surfaces of thesleeve 41 or of the closure element 43.

Here, the soft component can be configured as a nub or wedge or webarranged so as to encircle the collar of the sleeve 41 or the side ofthe closure element 43 facing the damping element 50. The number of nubsor wedges or webs can vary.

In contrast, the base body 60 as well as the bushing 42, the sleeve 41and the closure elements 43, 44 are preferably made of plastic, forexample, of polyamide that can optionally be glass-reinforced and/orthat can contain a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) component. The use ofsuch plastics is very advantageous with an eye towards reducing weightas well as from the vantage point of production engineering.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 mounting device-   10 mounting site-   11 threaded insert-   12 nut-   13 support-   14 guide-   20 receptacle-   30 outer receiving element-   40 inner receiving element-   41 sleeve-   42 bushing-   43 closure element-   44 closure element-   45 groove-   50 damping element-   51 outer wall of the damping element-   52 wave profile-   53 projection-   54 depression-   55 rim-   56 rim-   57 projection-   58 front face-   60 base body

1. A device (1) for detachably mounting an actuating member on an inputor output element, comprising: a mounting site (10) having a threadedinsert (11) to secure the actuating member; a receptacle (20) to securea mounting element of the input or output element, said receptacle (20)having an essentially eyelet-like outer receiving element (30) and aninner receiving element (40) arranged therein; and an elastic dampingelement (50) between the outer receiving element (30) and the innerreceiving element (40), said elastic damping element having a wall (51)with a wave profile (52) that faces the outer or inner receiving element(30).
 2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the wave profile(52) is configured of alternating partially circular or semi-circularprojections (53) and depressions (54).
 3. The device (1) according toclaim 1, wherein the damping element (50) has at least one rim (55, 56)that is beveled, canted or rounded off.
 4. The device (1) according toclaim 1, wherein the outer receiving element (30) and the mounting site(10) are configured in one piece and have a shared base body (60). 5.The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the outerreceiving element (30), the inner receiving element (40) and the dampingelement (50) has an annular or hollow cylindrical shape.
 6. The device(1) according to claim 1, wherein the inner receiving element (40) has abushing (42) in which the mounting element of the input or outputelement is securable.
 7. The device (1) according to claim 6, whereinthe bushing (42) is configured as a socket of a ball-and-socket joint,and the mounting element of the input or output element has a ball headthat can be latched or clipped into said socket.
 8. The device (1)according to claim 6, wherein, the inner receiving element (40) has acylindrical sleeve (41) in which the bushing (42) is arranged.
 9. Thedevice (1) according to claim 8, wherein the sleeve (41) has a taperedpassage, and the bushing (42) has a corresponding taper that issecurable in at least one axial direction within the sleeve (41). 10.The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the inner receiving element(40) has a closure element (43, 44) on each end in the axial directionrelative to the eyelet-like outer receiving element (30) that is used tosecure the inner receiving element (40) to the outer receiving element(30) in the axial direction.
 11. The device (1) according to claim 10,wherein the bushing (42) and at least one of the two closure elements(43, 44) are configured in one piece in the form of a hollow cylinderhaving an encircling collar or flange at one end.
 12. The device (1)according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the two closure elements(43, 44) is configured in the form of a cover or plate or perforateddisc.
 13. The device (1) according to claim 10, wherein at least one ofthe two closure elements (43, 44) has an encircling groove (45) withwhich the sleeve (41) engages when in an assembly position.
 14. Thedevice (1) according to claim 1, wherein the threaded insert (11) is anut (12) or a polygonal nut.
 15. The device according to claim 1,wherein the threaded insert (11) has an axis and the receptacle (20) hasan axis, and the axis of the threaded insert (11) runs orthogonally tothe axis of the receptacle (20).
 16. The device (1) according to claim4, wherein a nut (12) is integrated by means of injection molding intothe base body (60).
 17. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein themounting site (10) has a support (13) or a guide (14) for the actuatingmember that is to be mounted.
 18. An actuating member having arranged atone end thereof at least one mounting device (1) according to claim 1.19. The actuating member according to claim 18, wherein the actuatingmember defines at least at one end a hole or a slot through which ascrew can be screwed into the threaded element (11) in order to securethe actuating member to the device (1).
 20. The device according toclaim 1, wherein an encircling, annular projection is arranged on atleast one front face of the damping element (50).
 21. A shifting devicefor a transmission of a motor vehicle, comprising: an input or outputelement comprising a gear shift lever or the transmission of a motorvehicle, with a mounting site (10) to secure an actuating member, andwith a receptacle (20) to secure a mounting element of the input oroutput element; an essentially eyelet-like outer receiving element (30)and an inner receiving element (40) arranged in the receptacle (20); anelastic damping element (50) arranged between the outer receivingelement (30) and the inner receiving element (40), the damping element(50) having a wall (51) with a wave profile (52) facing the outer orinner receiving element (30); and the mounting site (10) has having athreaded insert (11) to secure the actuating member.